In the next few pages you will find helpful hints for coping without water, sewer and electricity; what you should know about trash and debris collection; filing insurance claims; avoiding unlicensed contractors; and the assistance available from disaster relief agencies.

Call 9-1-1 to report life-threatening emergencies only - not damages or power outages.

Wait for the all clear from local authorities before you go outside, drive, or return home. Emergency vehicles have priority use of roadways.

When venturing outside, avoid downed or dangling utility wires. Be especially careful when cutting or clearing fallen trees or walking through water puddles. They may have power lines tangled or laying in them.

NO WATER....

If you have exhausted your water supplies and have a well, you can follow some water purification procedures until water service is restored.Contaminated water can contain microorganisms that cause disease. You should purify any water of which you're uncertain. There are many ways to purify water; none are perfect. Often the best solution is a combination of methods.

Before purifying, let any suspended particles settle to the bottom, or strain them through layers of clean cloth.

The following are three purification methods, all of which kill microbes:

BOILING is the safest way to purify water. Bring water to a rolling boil for 10 minutes, keeping in mind that some water will evaporate. Of course, let cool before drinking. Boiled water will taste better if you put oxygen back into it. Do this by pouring water back and forth between 2 clean containers. This also will improve the taste of stored water.

CHLORINATION uses pure, unscented, liquid chlorine bleach to kill microorganisms in water. Add 2 drops of bleach per quart of water (4 drops if the water is cloudy), stir and let stand for 30 minutes. If the water does not smell or taste of chlorine at that point add another 2 drops and let stand for 15 minutes.

PURIFICATION TABLETS release chlorine and iodine into the water. They are inexpensive and are available at most sporting goods stores and some drug stores. Follow the package directions. Usually 1 tablet is enough for 1 quart of water. Double the dose for cloudy water.

Your hot water heater is another source of usable water.The hot water heater should be shut off, the inlet valve closed and drained of sediment (until water runs clear) and then refilled (opening inlet valve again). If you use this source of water and your electricity is off, turn off the circuit breaker so the heating elements don't burn out when power is restored.

NO SEWAGE OR TRASH PICK UP ....

Emergency Restroom Facilities

A camper or motor home with a restroom, that has a holding tank, can be used until the tank is full.

A chemical port-a-john can be created:

Use 5-gallon buckets lined with heavy-duty plastic garbage bags.

Add about 1/4 cup of lime or regular, unscented, liquid chlorine bleach to the bucket as a disinfectant and deodorizer. Keep lids on firmly.

Keep buckets in a cool, dark place.

DO NOT DISPOSE OF HUMAN WASTE THROUGH YOUR REGULAR TRASH PICKUP! Dispose of the waste by flushing it down your toilet as soon as sewer services are restored.

Clean and disinfect the buckets immediately.

Your toilet can be used by flushing until the bowl has no water. Then, line with heavy-duty trash bags and disinfect with chlorine bleach after each use. When full, tie shut and remove to an outside location.

If significant sewer outages have occurred, instructions for disposal of human wastes will be announced. Otherwise, when the system is operating again, dump the waste you've collected into your toilet and flush.

NO ELECTRICITY . . .

Don't plug portable generators into your home's electrical outlet! This could injure or kill neighbors or electrical crews. Place generator outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. Plug appliances directly into the generator.

If using a generator, conserve fuel by limiting appliance usage to the bare essentials.

Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public-records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.